[Dominion] Archive Card Guide - Three-Turn Pick-and-Choose Draw
Rating of the Empires card Archive. Cost 5 Action-Duration. +1 Action, set aside 3 cards from deck, take one each turn over 3 turns.
Archive
Basic Info
- Type: Action-Duration
- Cost: 5
- Effect: +1 Action / Look at top 3 cards of deck, set them aside face up / At start of this and next 2 turns, take one of them into hand (Archive then trashed/discarded after the third).
Rating
Empires' premier choose-from Duration draw. 3 turns of pick-and-choose draws from a known set of 3. Tier A.
Choice + perfect info — pick the right card at the right time. Effectively a triple cantrip with information advantage.
How to Play
$5 turn — Archive is top pick. Works in engine and Big-Money hybrids.
Three picks per Archive: balance villages / draw / treasure / VP across the next 3 turns.
Stack Archives — buy one per shuffle and you maintain a perpetual selective draw stream.
When to Pick / Skip
Almost always picked. Skip when:
- Pure draw-deck engine already complete.
- Strong attacks (Witch, Minion) hose your set-asides.
- Better $5 alternative.
Key Combos
Archive + KC / TR: 6 cards across 3 turns — massive choice density.
Archive + village: chain to act on chosen card immediately.
Archive + draw-deck: pick a key piece, redraw rest of deck.
Archive + Library / Mystic: deck-info synergy.
Archive + Rebuild: pull VP to rebuild.
Archive + Remodel / Expand: upgrade chosen.
Archive + Bishop / Altar: choose to trash.
Synergies
- KC / TR: doubled set-aside.
- Strong villages: chain.
- Draw-deck: combo.
- Remodel / Expand: target chosen.
- Rebuild: VP cycle.
- Quarry: cheaper Action picks.
Counters & Bad Matchups
- Strong attacks (Witch, Mountebank): set-asides clog with junk.
- Short games (Witch + Curse rush).
- Pre-built engines without Archive.
Advanced Tips
Each Archive gives 3 stable picks; chain Archives for permanent stream.
KC + Archive: 6 set-asides, 3 turns of double picks.
Province pick timing: take last so next turn lines up Buy.
After turn 3 the Archive itself goes to discard — that's fine; refresh by buying another.
Archive + Rebuild: feed Rebuild VP from set-asides for engineered point gain.
Mirror: more Archives → more info → better decisions; lead matters.